Dr Uma Ukpai, the president and founder of Uma Ukpai
Evangelistic Association, has said poor men of God did not receive
divine calling. He also told Daily Independent that it was untrue that people resorted to Church establishment out of joblessness. According to Ukpai, “Jesus calls church business. He said, ‘I am about
my father’s business’. He called church work business and what is
business? Business is investment plus gain, minus loss. In church
planting, no pastor can collect offering without giving account and
survive. Every church has elders and the job of the elders is to make
sure that account is given; it is not even publicly but given internally
but the account must be given.
“Church is all about investment
and the gain they make is not in money but in people; that is the gain
they make. People also can be called money because for instance, if a
pastor’s ministry can cause 20 women to get pregnant; those women will
not forget the pastor. If a pastor’s ministry can produce one of the
richest 10 men in the country, those men will not forget the man who
made them what they are.
“When you are into ministry and you
have what we call anointing, you have become profitable; you begin to
touch lives; you begin to bless people; you begin to change the stories
of families and your own story will change also because the man that
waters others shall be watered by God. There is so much misinformation
about the church. It is not all about money. If your pastor has
anointing that can make the blind see, cripples walk, leprosy to
disappear, that pastor is in money.
“The only man you can worry
about is a man who has no anointing; a man who God has rejected; a
pastor who God has not approved what he is doing. God does not bless
what he does not approve. If God approves what a pastor is doing, he
will have more money than he can spend. I am an example.”
On
the forthcoming general elections vis-a-vis the challenges of Boko Haram
insurgency, Ukpai said the crisis was part of Nigerian culture.
“There is nothing new happening. We are used to fighting; we are used
to killing and duping one another. People try to magnify little problems
here and there as things that can overwhelm or swallow Nigeria. Let me
tell you, we shall still be here after 2015. All these problems are old
problems. Nobody has been able to manufacture new ones.
“Even
APC (All Progressives Congress) or PDP (Peoples Democratic Party), they
have not been able to manufacture new problems. So, this country will
still be here after 2015. All those silly prophecies are from uninformed
prophets, who have neither heard from nor seen God. Take it from me
that this country will still be here and intact after 2015″.
Commenting on attacks on Christians in some parts of the country, Ukpai
said persecution had been part of the Christian calling.
Quoting from the Holy Book, Ukpai pointed out that “The Bible promised
us persecution; it did not say we shall not be persecuted. Secondly,
persecution sharpens us and makes us pray better. I would rather have
Christians persecuted than Christians not persecuted, because the more
you persecute Christians, the more they will pray; the more they will
seek after God. Those who seek after God shall know their God and those
who know their God shall do exploit. So, in the attempt to harm us, they
are sharpening us for a better and greater day.”
Pastors that are poor were not called by God
Ukpai, however, appealed to politicians and other well-meaning
Nigerians to work towards the peace, unity and prosperity of the
country.
His words: “We are praying for politics with
principles; we are praying for politicians who have prepared themselves
to serve and not to lord over us; and we are looking for politicians who
are accountable to us and to themselves. But most importantly, we are
asking for electorate who would not ask for bribes. Let nobody collect
money to vote. If you collect money to vote, you have destroyed your
moral right to account from the elected officers.
“We want our
politicians to know that we cannot continue to run in circle; let them
show some level of maturity. Finally, every politician must respect the
sacredness of human beings. Let nobody be killed because of another
person’s ambition. When anybody is killed, he cannot be reproduced and
because we didn’t create anybody, we don’t have the right to kill
anybody. So, can our politicians try to show good measure of maturity
and intelligence, fear of God and preparedness to obey the laws of the
land? They behave as though there are no laws. There are laws and we
must obey those laws; that is what will help us move forward and move in
a manner that will bring reward.
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COMMENTS
Enyinda Nathaniel Okey and Monday Onoja like this.
Monday Onoja
Yes.
Church is a serious business now deceiving individuals in the name of
performing miracles. Although some have good intention.
Enyinda Nathaniel Okey
there
is nothing new here. we all know about the big business of churches...
why the membership drive? why the tithe drive? why the offerings drive?
Enyinda Nathaniel Okey
i no know about call matter o. all i know is that call or no call, na money business
Bekere Becky Afaka
Jesus
livD and fed thousands without a penny in his pocket! he built no
mansiOns and rode on a donkey! why? even though Jesus had d whole
world,he was never seen with luxury! He didnt even keep money for temple
tax,he paid wit a coin from d belly of a fish! todays pastors are dsame
money mongers Jesus angrily chased out of d synagogue! and it seeMs d
pastor is confused bout english! business generally aint always about
money!
Bekere Becky Afaka
and pls man of gold-umai -should go to borno and get his own share of d persecution! that can make him richer!
Gbaboyor Felix
Jesus
example,d apostles example,gone with d wind.even those dat still have
some integrity left in ministry are without dis error of “CHURCH
BUSINESS“.God help dis generation pls!
Solomon Gad
An what shall it profit a man 2 gain the whole world and losses his soul.?
Onuh Jude
In as much as I cannot understand where he is coming frm b4 making dis debatable point....now,sh uld his church be taxed by gov.
Chioma Blessing Ndu
Uma
Ukpai n his Love of Money! This confirms the story I was told some
years ago by a Pastor. He said Uma Ukpai died several years ago n was
not allowed to enter into heaven. He told the angels that he is "Uma
Ukpai" popular Evangelist but the angels said there was no record of his
name in heaven. He was shockd n askd why. Guess what d angels told
him........"The re is no trace of ur name here because when u were on earth, U COMMERCIALISED/ MONETISED
THE GOSPEL!!!" He was given another chance to return back n mend his
ways. If d story is true, Uma has totally forgotten he nearly went to
Hell cos of his love for money. With due respect sir, most of the
pastors who were NOT called by God drive the best cars n live in d
biggest houses! The Love Of Money Is The Root Of All Evil!!
God'stime Akhidenor
All will be well. God's word as written in the scriptures must come to pass. Everyone, now gives self interpretations
to the holy word of God, to suit their personal portfolio. Church is a
profitable biz, but not to reference it only to money making, but
remaining in biz by increasing the numbers of candidates of heaven and
decreasing the numbers of the candidates of hell, through sound
teachings with the help of the holy spirit of God. Pastors being rich or
poor, no mortal being has the right to judge or conclude that they are
called or not called, only Almighty God alone. Just be focus and remain
in your calling, and God is the rewarder. Church biz, shouldn't be a
normal biz arithmetic calculations or political propaganda, as expressed
here. God only revealeth to you what to do and how to do, and yours is
to carry out instructions, no addition and no removal. God alone is the
judge, no man as the absolute right to conclude whether a man of God is
called or not, especially using riches as a basis. My people were laid
captive, for lack of knowledge. For the fact that the called still
functions, doesn't connotes he is still anointed, just like Saul. God
bless his church, Amen.
Mbong Ekpo
No
matter we see the issue here, let us remember Jesus said that he that
will leave friends family job etc for My sake, will have all these
things the unbelievers desires i e money,cars,hous es
etc. There is nothing like a poor Man of God, it is only by choice or
ignorance that they can be poor.Afterall in every proffession or calling
which people practice you see these people there. Poverty is not a sin
after all Poor Lazarus who was feeding from the rich mans table was a
Christian. He died and went to heaven. Just as there are Lawyers,Doctors
etc who re poor so will there be ministers that are same because, there
are rules for success in every endevour in life. The poor mans voice
can be heard but, always stigmatised . At the end of it all it is better
to be rich and wealth than live poor and begerly.
Tinuhannis George
Hmmm..may God av mercy on dis generatn,may i not sin tru church matters....weti n concern most pastors wt dia member's welfare,#kokanaye,na money sure pass..members eat or dnt eat,no b dia matter,members must sha pay tithe n offerin,smtimes self i fil lk worshipn in ma room
Alvarez Ugochukwu
He's
right... not only pastors, christians as a whole.. they are the
restorers, the overcomes, pacesetters, record breakers and that's Gods
wish for endtime christianity.. God is not poor, the streets of heaven
is paved with Gold just do his commandment and yul sit with kings. and
talking about pastors in as much as God is involved in riches he never
meant extortion or scam in d name of God cos he that calls you will
provide.. not when one can pray he'll open a ministry and engage in
extortion..